Rangers boss insists he can turn around fortunes despite slumping to yet another defeat against West Brom

Mark Hughes last night insisted he is the man to turn round bottom of the table QPR.

Angry fans bombarded websites and even
owner Tony Fernandes’ Twitter account with calls to bring in Harry Redknapp after the 3-2 defeat at West Brom meant Hughes has
taken just three points from the last 17 away games.

And
a large number of the near 2,000 fans who travelled to The Hawthorns walked out when ­Youssuf Mulumbu scored Albion’s third goal six minutes from time.

It left Hughes, who spent ­£27million on fees this summer as well as big wages for free transfers among his 12 signings, hoping owner Tony Fernandes will stay true to his promise and keep calm.

Hughes
said: “The fans who did come stuck behind us until the third goal. We bring big numbers and we are really frustrated for them.

“We
know we have the potential to be a good team in this League but we can’t keep on frustrating ourselves and not giving ourselves an ­opportunity to win games because the support we have is precious.

“We have to make sure we give them something to support.”

Asked directly ‘Are you totally confident that you are the man to do that?’ he ­responded, “Oh yes, ­absolutely.

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Waiting in the wings: Redknapp wants a Premier League return

Owner
Fernandes was not at the Hawthorns yesterday But his ­loyalty to Hughes will be tested – especially with former Spurs boss Redknapp waiting in the wings and keen to take on another Premier League
job.

Last week sources close to ­Redknapp were keen to dismiss speculation linking him with the Leicester City job.

After a rocky couple of weeks Nigel Pearson has now guided Leicester into the Championship promotion zone.

And Redknapp, who lives on the south coast, is loathe to be based in the Midlands.

An ideal opportunity for the 64-year-old boss would be a top- flight London club.

At
the moment the two that appear potential vacancies are QPR, after their
nightmare start, and Fulham where claims that Martin Jol is not popular
with his playing staff continue.

It’s ironic that more pressure has been heaped on Hughes after ­yesterday’s defeat at the ­Hawthorns.

West
Brom was a managerial graveyard last season. Chelsea’s Andre Villas-Boas and Mick ­McCarthy of Wolves were both sacked after losing to the Baggies.

Jamie McDonald / Getty

In the frame? Jol is not getting on with staff at Fulham

But Hughes insisted: “We knew where we might be at the beginning of the season because of the amount of changes we have made. We ­understood this was a
possibility.

“We are disappointed because we feel in a number of games we have played well and not got what we ­deserved, but today we probably didn’t ­deserve anything.

“We have come a long way in a short space of time. We have stayed in the Premier League and the ­intention is to have a good season.

“We have a lot of new players and a lot of injuries. Once that settles down I believe we will see what we can produce.

“My
main disappointment is that for the second game running we conceded two
poor goals early on and in this League you can’t afford to do that.”

The international break can ­provide directors with the chance to review their managers and ­backroom staffs.

Hughes
will hope that Fernandes holds his nerve and gives him the chance to turn around a lousy start to the campaign and move into a brighter autumn.